Connector assemblies include a pair of connectors, referred to as a connector and a mating connector, where the connector may include a connector housing and a plurality of components disposed within the connector housing and the mating connector includes a mating connector housing with a plurality of mating components disposed within the mating connector housing. The components of the connector are configured to couple with mating components of the mating connector, e.g., to make an electrical or optical connection. For example, in an electrical connector assembly, the components of the connector are electrical contacts that are configured to electrically couple to mating electrical contacts of the mating connector. In an optical connector, the components of the connector are optical elements or optical devices that are configured to optically couple to mating optical elements or devices of the mating connector.
Connector assemblies can be in-line connector assemblies wherein each connector of a connector pair is attached to and supported by a cable, e.g., a cable comprising one or more optical waveguides or a cable comprising one or more electrical wires, such that mating the connectors of the connector pair provides a cable-to-cable connection. In some configurations, one or both of the connector housings of a connector pair is attached to a backplane or other circuit on which electrical traces, optical waveguides, or fiber cables are routed. In this configuration, mating the connectors provides a board-to-cable or backplane to circuit board signal connection. In still other configurations, both connectors can be attached to circuit boards so that mating the connectors of the connector pair provides a board-to-board connection.
The connector and the mating connector of a connector pair may be assigned a “gender” and designated as “male” or “female.” The “female” connector is generally a receptacle that receives and holds the “male” connector. Hermaphroditic connectors are those that have both male and female elements. In some hermaphroditic connector assemblies, the connector and the mating connector are identical.